1. Choose a Leader

Choosing the right leadership for your Annual Giving Campaign is vital to the success of your campaign.

Sample job description for a Stewardship Committee Member

Stewardship Mission at St. John’s

We strive to make stewardship part of the fabric of our daily life together: for all of our members to take ownership and support our church’s programs and future by pledging toward our annual campaign and considering planned giving options.

Membership and Time Commitment

The Stewardship Committee shall be compromised of at least 6 and up to 8 members of the parish. At the discretion of the Stewardship Chair and Rector, more committee members may be recruited and more volunteers enlisted. Members of the Executive Committee, Rector, and Parish Administrator will be ex officio members.

The Stewardship Chair is asked to serve a three year term; the first year as co-chair with the incumbent chair and the third year as co-chair with the succeeding chair.

Stewardship committee members are asked to serve at least one year and no more than three years, and should be prepared to meet at least once a month May through January, as needed February through April, and be accountable for the execution of agreed areas of responsibility.

Qualities of a Stewardship Committee Member

The Stewardship Committee Member shall:
Be spiritually motivated – A person who is seeking a deep relationship with Jesus and is grateful for that relationship; regularly spends time in prayer, scripture study and regular attendance at Eucharist; will be concerned about the relationship of all parishioners with God as well as the needs of the church.

Exemplify and live out stewardship – A person who is already committed to stewardship as a way of life; who volunteers their time in various parish and community activities; who is committed to making a regular and generous financial pledge and additional financial contributions as able to St. John’s.

Be comfortable talking about money – A person who can tie together the concepts of giving of time, talent and treasure.
Have personal qualities that contribute to success – A person who follows through on what they have agreed to do and is persistent, optimistic, organized, patient, creative and willing to share their faith with others.

Responsibilities of the Stewardship Committee

Ongoing Stewardship Ministry:
Stewardship Formation – Cultivate a prayerful and spiritual identification of stewardship as a way of life in our parish through messages in the weekly bulletin, eNewsletter, prayers, monthly newsletter, brochures to be mailed or made available in the gathering area, homilies from the pulpit, use of the parish website and social media presence, and education programs.

Children, Youth, and New Member Stewardship – Encourage a stewardship curriculum for all levels of Faith Formation and seek to increase children, youth, and new member stewardship awareness, education, and participation.

Time and Talent – Communicate opportunities available for all parishioners to share their time and talent with our parish and our community as a whole; prepare a time and talent brochure of parish activities and organizations, and keep the brochure current.

Events – Organize annual events, such as the Ministry Fair, Annual Meeting, and Service Sunday, to demonstrate the impact of parishioner’s contributions, showcase the ministries of St. John’s, and encourage parishioners to share their time, talent, and treasure.

Annual Pledge Campaign:
Stewardship Chair – With the assistance of the Rector and Executive Committee the Stewardship Chair is asked to assume primary responsibility for:

  • Recruiting, training, and managing members of the committee and volunteers for the stewardship efforts.

  • Collating, analyzing, and presenting budget information and stewardship data.

  • Making personal asks of donors.

  • Sending a personal thank you to all pledgers and/or donors.

Committee Members - With the assistance of the Parish Administrator and Rector members of the Stewardship Committee are asked to:
Assume primary responsibility for creating ideas and themes for the campaign, develop a time and action plan for implementing the campaign, create and collate content for the stewardship materials, and recruit and prepare speakers for the campaign.

Assist with the layout and execution of the communication materials, assembling bulk mailings, managing volunteers in stewardship efforts, and making personal asks of donors.